Goldfish in the Deep End

The pool party invitation sat on my desk like a death sentence. Maya's party. The girl I'd been lowkey crushing on since September. And me? The only freshman who still couldn't swim properly.

I stood at the edge of the **water**, clutching my towel like a safety net. Everyone else was already splashing around, laughing, throwing each other into the deep end. They looked like they belonged. I looked like I was about to throw up.

"Yo, Marcus! Get in here!" Jeremy yelled, cannonballing nearby. Chlorine spray hit my face.

I forced a laugh. "Yeah, just warming up."

My heart hammered against my ribs. This was it. The moment I'd been dreading all week. I'd told everyone I was **swimming** at these parties since middle school. The lie had grown legs, walked out the door, and now I had to back it up.

I dipped my foot in. The cold shot up my leg like electricity.

Then I saw her. Maya climbed out of the pool, **water** dripping from her hair like she was in a slow-motion movie scene. She grabbed a slice of pizza from the table and—no way.

She had **spinach** stuck in her teeth. Bright green, totally obvious **spinach**.

Maya, the girl who looked like she walked straight out of a TikTok filter, had **spinach** in her teeth. And nobody was saying anything. Either they hadn't noticed, or they were too nice to tell her.

Our eyes met. She smiled, completely unaware.

My hand went to my **hat**—my lucky baseball cap that I'd been wearing since sixth grade. The one my mom said made me look like a "little gentleman" but actually just covered my haircut disasters. I never took it off. Not even to swim.

But Maya looked perfect, even with **spinach** in her teeth. She was just... being herself. Not overthinking everything like I always did.

I took a breath and walked over to her.

"Hey," I said, my voice cracking. Classic. "You've got a little—" I pointed to my teeth.

Maya's eyes went wide. "Oh my god, seriously?"

"Yeah. But honestly? It's kinda a look."

She laughed—a real, unguarded laugh that made her nose crinkle. "You're funny. I'm Maya."

"Marcus. And I have absolutely no idea how to swim."

"Wait, what?"

"Total **goldfish** energy, I know. Can basically do the doggy paddle and that's about it."

Maya grinned. "Teach you?"

"What? Here? Now?"

"Why not? I was a lifeguard last summer." She held out her hand. "C'mon, **goldfish**. Let's get you swimming."